


It's Kinda Aerodynamic

by Lucifuge5



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5 Times, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Mid-Credits Scene, Fix-It, Kissing, M/M, Past one sided steve/bucky, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson Friendship, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 17:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7062553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucifuge5/pseuds/Lucifuge5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Sam and Bucky kissed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Kinda Aerodynamic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [creascendo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/creascendo/gifts).



> For Cresceando who gave me a prompt of Sam/(your choice!) - Freefall." #BeholdhowrandomIinterpretpromptssometimes #IDEK

**1\. The first time happened after they fought the spider dude in the red and blue suit.**

Freed from the webbing, thanks to Redwing's razor sharp laser, Sam jumped up and typed a couple of quick commands on his wrist monitor so the birdie could help Bucky get loose. A systems check determined that his suit had sustained little damage after being thrown around by someone who sounded like he belonged in 3rd period Algebra. This whole Avenging business got stranger every day.

The soft whirr of Bucky's metal arm brought Sam back to the present. He offered his right hand to help him up. "You all right?"

"Ain’t dead yet," Bucky said. He gripped Sam's hand with his flesh one, almost bumping against him when he was back on his feet. Tilting his head slightly, he pressed his lips against Sam's jaw in a flash before taking off toward the battle outside.

Sam watched him go, momentarily disoriented by Bucky’s gesture. A booming noise caught his attention at once.

For now, the best option was to pour all of his thoughts and feelings about what had just happened in a box marked "To Be Dealt With L8r" and place it somewhere way back in his mind.

"Help Steve deal with this whole mess first, navel-gazing about rehabilitated assassins who are also Cap’s BFF later," he told himself as he ran down the stairs and joined the fight.

 

**2\. The second time didn't happen in real life.**

Ending up in the nightmare equivalent of a prison that would give Azkaban a run for its money (Sam was a Potterhead through and through. House Hufflepuff represent!) gave Sam plenty of time to go into full-on introspective mode. With each cell monitored 24/7 and isolated from each other to the point that it made Sam feel lonely as fuck, he let his mind unwind as far as it wanted to. There's really not much to do when you're on lockdown for days on end.

His thoughts returned to Bucky with the kind of inevitability only seen in the soap operas that Clint and Natasha liked.

Technically, it was a little early to be looking into that mental box. Thing was he couldn't recall a single history book mentioning anything about Bucky being into guys. Sure, some people would forever frame their conversations regarding Steve and Bucky as Steve _and_ Bucky. Not to mention the internet. Even before he became an Avenger, Sam kept himself from falling too deep into theories on whom Cap potentially made googly-eyes at during WWII.

About the only thing he could remember was hearing what a ladies’ man Bucky was before his untimely (fake) death. Like, even Sam’s 9th grade history book mentioned it. It all made him sound like he was chasing after every woman within a 50-mile radius whenever he wasn’t fighting the Nazis alongside Steve. The emphasis on Bucky’s Casanova status smelled weird. Like a pleather jacket.

He saw the fucked-up logic behind it: to question Bucky's relationship with Cap might lead to people taking a closer look at Steve. Cue Fox News and every major conservative news media having a minute-long freakout before choosing to demonize Steve for possibly making time with guys.

The whole thing was such an offensive and ridiculous agenda that Sam made himself promise he'd ask Steve about it if--when they met again.

Sam's own queerness meant he definitely appreciated Rosario Dawson’s hotness, but he’d be lying if he hadn’t enjoyed some alone time imagining Daniel Craig all over him or D’Angelo, Lupita N’yongo, Rachel McAdams… It was a long list, OK? Sam didn’t discriminate. And, even at his murderiest, Bucky looked _foine_.

oOo

Whoever ran the prison was gonna have a heck of an electric bill at the end of the month. The lights were on all the time. Didn’t bother Sam that much. During his tours, he'd slept surrounded by men who had gone a good two months without bathing. True, it wasn’t quite the same. Still, this was, aside from being unable to fight alongside Steve, a cakewalk.

He put one arm over his eyes and promptly snoozed away.

In his dreams, floating amid a lot of imagery and nonsense about bug sprays, Bucky's kiss was a lot less innocent and had gone on for way longer. He’d even slipped Sam some tongue. Dream!Sam moaned when Bucky kissed a path from his mouth and along his jaw, occasionally nipping just in case Sam wasn’t revved up enough...

oOo

The first person Sam saw shortly after waking up from his dream makeout session was, out of all possible people, Tony.

He'd never wanted to punch someone so hard since his fight with Rumlow back in 2013.

 

**3\. The third time it happened was Steve's fault. Sorta.**

Sam rode the high of being back with his team and seeing Steve quietly happy (having Bucky back did that to people. Sam understood that feeling really well). The enormity of how things were outside of the Wakandan borders hadn't quite sunk in yet.

He and Steve chose to do some catching up now that they were as safe as they could possibly be at the moment.

The eyewitness report Steve gave Sam was a doozy: the other super soldiers, Bucky killing Tony’s parents back in the day, Zemo’s true agenda, Steve leaving his shield behind...it sounded like the recap of a TV show’s season finale.

Sam wished they’d been drinking something stronger than coffee.

Even underslept and with a few bruises still healing, Steve radiated the kind of serenity that made everything around him turn the volume way down. He placed his cup on the table with excessive care and, for the first time since Steve and T’Challa had rescued them, looked uncertain."So, Bucky’s in the infirmary. He sustained a, um, a thrashing."

"Sounds like it was a tough battle," Sam said. "But you guys made out in one—um, alive."

Steve shrugged. Then, he gave Sam a 'we have to talk' look. (Ruh-roh) "You know, Bucky mentioned something about wanting to see you." His face was full of questions.

"Really?" Sam tried to keep his voice as even as possible. He was not going to be intimated by Steve. He’d seen him drooling in his sleep for God’s sake (for the record, it’d only been once and, yes, Sam snapped a couple of photos.). This whole Bucky-might-like-him-and-he-might-like-him-back thing was so new that the only option was to play it as close to the vest as possible. "How's he doing?"

"Good," Steve replied. "Well, better, I think. His left arm..." He shook his head slowly. The chill vibe began to fade away. 

Sam nodded, swallowing the "Tony should’ve never blasted it apart" that had popped up in his mind. There was no need to state the obvious.

"Yeah." Steve ran a hand over his face. "Anyway, Buck's looking into his options. He did dropped your name a couple of times. I didn't ask _why_."

To the surprise of no one, mama Rogers’ kid was really clever.

"Listen," Sam said, one hand up to stop whatever Steve was about to say, "before you give me a combination of third degree and shovel talk, all I can say is that he saved my life a few times during our tussle with the spider kid. He and I. We-we're cool."

The squint Steve gave him spoke volumes. You didn't need to be an American History expert to know that Steve and Bucky took the concept of 'being bros' to an almost mythical level.

Maybe Sam was reading the situation way wrong. He went for the direct approach. "Am—am I stepping on _your_ chances with him?"

Steve opened and closed his mouth for a couple of seconds. "No, Sam," he said quietly. "There might’ve been a moment when, well… But that’s in the past. After spending so many years in the ice, I can honestly tell you that I don’t dwell on what could’ve been. Not anymore."

"Cool," Sam replied, feeling like the dorkiest guy on the planet. "By the way, Steve, since you’ve known him for a while, can you tell me if Bucky’s always had that _swagger_?

Steve's eyeroll game was strong. None of the history books ever mentioned that.

oOo

Encouraged by his conversation with Steve (getting his approval wasn’t super necessary, but it helped calm Sam’s nerves a bit), Sam gave into the urge to check in with Bucky. Wanda was in the room, waving her hands, red wisps glowing in the air before disappearing.

Bucky shook his head and Wanda gave him a small smile before exiting. She nodded at Sam.

He strolled in, hands in the front pockets of his jeans. "So, are all super-soldiers impervious to magic or is it just you and Steve?"

Bucky, dressed in white pj’s, his hair in a tiny bun, blinked slowly before answering. "Dunno, really. The last time I saw anything magical, both my arms were flesh and Steve had picked a fight with a guy who looked like something out of a kid’s nightmare." He raised an eyebrow. "Why? You come to show me a trick or two?"

"Wow, that’s a hell of a cheesy line, man," Sam said, the corners of his mouth curving upwards. 

"What can I say? Not everyone can’t be suave like you," Bucky answered, sitting up in one smooth motion that made naughty thoughts appear in Sam’s mind. 

His gaze flicked to the metal stump on Bucky’s left shoulder. The mattress dipped when he sat down. "I’m glad you made it, B."

"I’m glad you’re here," Bucky said while his right hand grabbed the front of Sam's t-shirt and pulled him until their lips brushed. 

Sam liked Bucky being so forward. Eyes closed, he let Bucky set the pace. A wave of warmth ran through his body when Bucky slowed down, the smacking sound echoing loudly among the beeps of the machines around Bucky’s bed. He could’ve sworn he heard someone walked in and quickly turned around. 

He didn’t care.

Not when Bucky’s mouth was sliding against his in soft, lazy movements and his stubble rubbed against Sam’s skin leaving him on the edge of everything being too much and not enough at once. Bucky kissed him with intention and Sam returned that feeling with smooches of his own. 

Eventually, they broke apart, grinning at each other. He studied Bucky’s face and was secretly smug to see him blushing. 

 

**4\. The fourth time was bittersweet.**

 

It’d been a few days since Sam and Bucky’s necked like the PG-rated version of Netflix and chill. He didn't mind and, based on Bucky's enthusiasm and glassy-eyed look after Sam did his best to leave a hickey on his neck, neither did Bucky.

Officially, no one commented on it (though, at times, Clint and Scott both looked like they were on the verge of bursting to say something only to be shut down by one of Steve’s serious!Cap expressions. Apparently mama Rogers had also taught Steve how to curtail busy bodies and lookie-looks. #Themoreyouknow)

Unofficially, however, both Clint and Scott had given him fistbumps, T’Challa acknowledged this new development with a brief head tilt, and Steve (he learned much later) took it upon himself to keep people away from Bucky’s room if Sam was visiting him.

He’d talked to Wanda once, obliquely like he usually did with her. 

"Pietro," she said, her face more serious than usual. "There was a boy in our town. It wasn’t serious, but I was happy for him." She sighed. "I think you’d have gotten along."

Sam gave her a long hug.

oOo

After who knows how many tests and long discussions, Bucky decided to go back under.

Officially, everyone respected his choice and began preparing a more humane cryo tank. Sam understood the logic of preventing Bucky getting the Winter Soldier mode activated again. That was the line he gave anyone whenever they asked him

Unofficially, Steve moped for a while. Sam was _pissed_.

One afternoon after he and Bucky had been lip-locking for a while, Sam faced the facts. 

"What?" He felt dazed. Bucky’s lips were something else.

"You’re trying to convince me to stay, Sam. I’m flattered," Bucky said, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

"I’m a selfish son of a bitch deep down. Been a long while since I felt this happy, B.," Sam exhaled. "It’s not enough, though, is it?"

Bucky laced his fingers with Sam’s. "I can’t risk it. Especially now," he said as he squeezed Sam’s hand. "And it’s not, you know, forever-forever. Wakanda is super-advanced. I’ll probably be back in action before the next season of _Game of Thrones_ begins".

"Breaking news: the Winter Soldier is a super-nerd," Sam said flatly. It still sucked to say good-bye. But Bucky had made his decision. Who was Sam to fight him?

oOo

The day Bucky went back to sleep, Sam joined T’Challa on a quiet run near the palace grounds. The unevenness of the trail force him to focus on his movements. Sam left some of the heaviness in his heart behind every time his sneakers pounded the ground.

 

**5\. Their next kiss happened in one of Sam’s happiest days ever.**

In the end, it took Wakandan science and the combination of magic from Wanda and a guy called Dr. Strange to bring Bucky back. It had been the longest two years in Sam’s life.

"Remind me again why they call it beauty rest? ‘cause all I see is your ugly mug," Sam quipped as he sat on a chair next to Bucky’s bed. 

Laying on the bed looking like the scruffier version of Snow White, Bucky glared back at him. His grogginess reminded Sam of an angry kitten. "How long?" Bucky whispered.

"Too fucking long," Sam answered. "As soon as you’re up to it, we’re hitting the sack."

"Perv," Bucky said. He waved his new left arm. "Huh, badass."

"That’s some serious hardware you’re sporting now, B. Made from the same metal as the shield."

"Swell." Bucky pursed his lips. "All I’m missin’ is some sugar from my fella."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Sam said with a put-upon tone. "Luckily for you, I’ve got plenty to give." He stood up and leaned over carefully, pressing his lips against Bucky’s chapped ones. 

It was their fifth kiss and far from their last one ever.


End file.
